Strategies for Writing a 20-Page Paper

Research papers and essays can be intimidating enough as an assignment. If youre facing a 20-page writing assignment, just relax and break the process down into manageable chunks. Start by creating a timetable for your project. Note when it is due as well as the number of weeks you have between now and the due date. To create a timetable, grab or create a calendar with plenty of space to write on. Then, jot down deadlines for each stage of the writing process. Initial Research and Topic Selection Before you can choose a topic, do some basic research to learn more about the general subject area youre studying. For example, if youre studying the works of William Shakespeare, decide which play, character, or aspect of Shakespeares work is most interesting to you. After youve finished your initial research, select a few possible topics. Talk with your teacher before making a final decision. Ensure that the topic is interesting and rich enough for a 20-page essay, but not too big to cover. For example Symbolism in Shakespeare is an overwhelming topic while Shakespeares Favorite Pens wouldnt fill more than a page or two. Magic in Shakespeares Play, A Midsummer Nights Dream might be just right. Now that you have a topic, take a few weeks to conduct research until you have five to 10 subtopics or points to talk about. Jot notes onto note cards. Separate your note cards into piles that represent topics youll cover. Organize Topics and Create a Draft Order your topics into a logical sequence, but dont get too caught up in this. Youll be able to rearrange the sections of your paper later. Take your first set of cards and write all you can about that specific topic. Try to use up three pages of writing. Move on to the next topic. Again, try to use three pages to elaborate on that topic. Dont worry about making this section flow from the first one. You are just writing about individual topics at this time. Create Transitions; Write an Introduction and Conclusion Once you have written a few pages for each topic, think again about the order. Identify the first topic (one that will come after your introduction) and the one that will follow. Write a transition to link one to the next. Continue with order and transitions. The next step is to write your introduction paragraph or paragraphs and your conclusion. If your paper is still short, just find a new subtopic to write about and place it between paragraphs that exist. You now have a rough draft. Edit and Polish Once youve crafted a full draft, set it aside for a day or two before reviewing, editing, and polishing it. If youre required to include sources, double-check that youve correctly formatted footnotes, endnotes, and/or a bibliography.